Fusion (Discontinued)
by Akrid Ex
Summary: Having to deal with the loss of a family member, Aidan, a young teenage boy with amazing abilities, must now train under the mentorship of the Justice League in order to hone his skills and control his powers. When the time comes, will he use his talents for good, or will he fall to temptation and use them for personal gain? (An OC insert, plain and simple.)
1. Chapter 1: Forged from Fire

**A/N: Just wanted to let everyone know that this is my first official story, so comments and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. I'll be doing my best in uploading weekly but if I feel that a chapter is not yet ready or vice versa, upload time may change. A major thanks to Shepardnick for helping me edit this, I couldn't have done it without you. If you have any questions or perhaps suggestions, feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to respond. But, I've taken up your time long enough, kick back, relax, and enjoy the story!**

* * *

 **Central City, Missouri**

 **July 4, 2008**

 **21:00 CDT**

Fireworks and cheers filled the night sky all throughout Central City. Today was a day of celebration, to honor our country's declaration of independence years ago. BBQs, family gatherings, and parades were just some of the activities happening all over the US. One teenager however, was spending their holiday quite differently than most. In the Westminster area, the location of the Science and Technology Advanced Research Laboratories, otherwise known as S.T.A.R. Labs, was Aidan Johnson. Sitting alone in his father's office, Aidan had been waiting to celebrate Independence Day with his only family. Since it was a holiday, work was put off by most in order to spend time with friends and family. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for his father, the renowned Dr. Henry Johnson.

Aidan had arrived hours earlier, taking a bus from their home in Englewood, to ask his dad about seeing the fireworks and parade that night. That was at 6:00PM, it was 9:00PM now.

" _I'll be done work soon." He says. "Just wait in my office, I won't be long."_

 _Who was he kidding! It's been three frickin' hours already and the parade has already started._

The truth was, he wasn't mad about the parade, but rather his father lying to him. Not once throughout the three hours he spent waiting did anyone come up to check on him, his father included. At one point, Aidan considered leaving the facility and going to see the parade himself, but thought better of it.

 _What would be the point if he's not there with me?_

Sighing, Aidan leaned back in the leather office chair and propped his feet up on his father's desk, trying his best to relax. The loud ticking of the clock was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. This wasn't the first time Aidan's father put his work before his only son, far from it in fact, the only difference this time was that he said he would be done. Never before had his father lied to him like now, sure, he's told him "I'm busy." or "I can't right now, son," but when he actually says that they were going to do something, he kept his word.

 _Now that I think about it, he seemed very nervous when I arrived without saying anything first. Was there someone here important for a meeting or something, maybe one of the Justice League members?_

This train of thought made Aidan curious, so he silently made his way toward the door and peeked out. Looking around, he saw no guards in sight and slowly stepped outside the office, silently closing the door behind him. Checking his surrounds, he cautiously made his way further down the hallway, deeper into the facility. The lights from overhead reflected off the pristine tiled floors, his shadow trailing right behind him. He passed door after door, hall after hall, walking through the seemingly endless complex unnoticed. After some time, he came upon an elevator, the words, "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY." painted across the steel doors.

 _This looks interesting, I wonder-_

Cutting off his train of thought, he heard footsteps coupled with voices coming from the hall behind him. Thinking quickly, he searched for the nearest unlocked door, and hide inside the room. The voices grew louder as they approached, stopping so close to Aidan that he could hear them clearly from the other side of the door.

"I'm just saying Dr. Johnson is overreacting…" A male voice said.

 _Overreacting? Overreacting about what?_

"We've been running the numbers and calculations over and over again. One false reading out of over a hundred others doesn't mean anything." The voice continued.

"He's just being cautious, this is easily one of the most important projects S.T.A.R. Labs has ever developed. There is a lot of pressure on him right now." A female voice explained.

"Yes… Yes I suppose. Um… do you remember the passcode?" The man asked sheepishly.

"Honestly Joshua, how can you forget four simple numbers." The woman scolded.

For a brief moment there was only silence, Aidan assumed the woman was glaring at Joshua and he had just shrugged in response. Or was being fearfully silent, probably the latter.

"Now listen carefully, the code is 3-4-9-4. Don't forget it."

A small beeping noise could be heard just before the metal doors slid open, the two scientists entered and left. At this point, Aidan came out of hiding and stood in front of the elevator. Gazing at the touch screen passcode lock, he recalled the code in his mind and punched the numbers in.

 _3-4-9-4… Huh, that's… that's the same date when…_

Shaking his head, he refocused his thoughts and entered the metal box. It was spacious and completely steel inside, with the exception of the floor and ceiling. Directly to his right, the panel held only one button and another touch screen interface. Pressing the button, the elevator began its descent downward with Aidan waiting patiently inside. It was only moments later that the elevator finally came to a stop, the doors opening to reveal a long hallway, with multiple automatic metal doors. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all metallic as well, completely grey in color. Aidan walked slowly out, making sure to listen for any sign of approaching scientists. After some time, he heard the sound of his father's voice, just a couple rooms ahead of him. Moving quietly toward the corner of the door frame, he peeked around and saw his father with multiple scientists standing in a large room.

"Are all the preparations set for testing?" His father, Dr. Johnson asked.

"Yes, doctor." One of the scientist replied.

"Good… Do one last preliminary diagnostic before we commence the procedure."

Just as he finished speaking, he and the scientists made their way toward the door. Aidan quickly moved to the side and hide around the corner, waiting for them to pass. After they were out of earshot, he entered the room and could now fully see what the scientists had been talking about. Inside of the room stood a large circular object, connected to the floor and ceiling of the room. A winding transparent tube encircled the central cylinder that traveled up into the ceiling, with multiple steel supports attaching it to the object, ceiling, and floor. Various cables descended from the ceiling and joined with the central cylinder and tube.

 _Wow… I wonder what it does?_

While Aidan was distracted the door behind him shut closed just as the metal shutter adjacent to it began to lift up. Moving out of it's line of sight, he could see his father and the rest of the scientists operating at various terminals and such. He couldn't hear what they were saying, the glass seemed to be sound proof, but when he caught sight of the object glowing behind him, he didn't have to think too hard about it.

* * *

"Status?" Henry questioned.

The tall, skinny man, clothed in a bleached white lab coat, stood in the center of the control room, overseeing the test. Sweat trickled down his forehead from his combed, grey and black hair. His glasses occasionally sliding off the bridge of his nose, before he pushed them back up over his cerulean eyes.

"All systems green doctor. We are ready to begin the test." One of the scientist answered.

"Excellent, commence the procedure."

All at once the scientists began typing away at their terminals, listing off various readings and relaying information toward each other as they went. From an outsider's point of view, Dr. Johnson was the embodiment of calm, silently watching the men and women in the room work. In reality however, he was a nervous wreck inside. This could easily be one of the greatest scientific achievements ever, the first human nuclear fusion reactor in the world. A lot was riding on his success tonight, he couldn't fail now, not after all the effort put into this project.

 _I promised you Sarah, your dream will become a reality._

"I'm coming up with alerts on my terminal, doctor." One of the scientist said anxiously.

"Let me see."

"Temperature just spiked, and is steadily rising."

The head scientist just closed his eyes and sighed. Even after everything it was still incomplete, the fusion reactor still needed to be worked on, that meant he would have to wait longer before his wife's lifework would be complete.

 _Soon… soon._

"Shut it down… Shut it down! I will not lose years of work all in one night, we'll just have to try again."

Just after instructing the scientists to shutdown the reactor there was a loud banging on the glass. Turning toward the sound, Henry's heart stopped as he saw his son… His only son, Aidan… In the same room as the reactor.

 _No..._

"Open the door to the reactor room, open it now!" He demanded.

"We can't, we have to shut the reactor down first-"

"Then shut it down!" The Doctor yelled, cutting the man off.

The scientist pressed a series of keys and buttons at his terminal before complete panic struck his face.

"We can't! The controls aren't responding!" He screamed.

Realization dawned on Dr. Johnson, if the reactor couldn't be shut down, then the energy would keep building, and at this rate the cooling system wouldn't be enough to keep the temperature from rising before...

"Move aside!" He barked while pulling the man out of the chair.

Sliding into the seat, Henry saw it for himself. The core was overheating, the cooling system wasn't enough to handle the amount of energy build up. It was going to explode, and take his son with it.

"Doctor, we have to evacuate. If the reactor explodes it will destroy this whole level and-"

"I'm not leaving my son."

"But Doctor-"

"Did you not hear me?! I am not leaving my son here! Take the rest of the scientists and evacuate to the surface. I will… I will try and shut it down."

The scientist just stared at the man in response before nodding his head. They all gathered up and left the control room in a hurry, activating the alarm to alert everyone else on the underground level to evacuate as well. Once the door slammed shut, Henry gazed intensely into the sky blue eyes of his only son, soaking in his boyish facial features and unkempt sable hair obscuring them; standing there like a young reflection of himself, full of life and energy. His entire form was enveloped by a pulsing red light, the deafening pitch of the alarm muted in the background of the moment. Behind him, the reactor emitted blinding sparks and puffs of wispy smoke, gorging on itself like a starving animal. The doctor was distracted by movement: his son reaching for something, then his pocket began beeping continuously, shaking him from his stupor. The head scientist absentmindedly tapped the green confirmation button on the phone's surface, and slowly rose it to his ear.

"Hey Dad." His voice, no more than a whisper but nearly shattering the man's resolve.

 _No… I have to be strong… For him..._

Swallowing, Henry composed himself before he spoke.

"Hello son."

"We- we missed the fireworks… And the parade…" Aidan continued.

At hearing this, Dr. Johnson could barely hold himself together. He had put off spending Independence Day with his only son for work. What kind of father was he?

"I… I know son… I know… And I'm so, so sorry." He managed to get out.

His son simply smiled and shook his head.

"It's alright… You were busy…" Was his reply.

Despite himself, Doctor Johnson smiled back, trying… Failing to fight back his tears.

"A-Aidan… I promise you… We'll see every fireworks show and parade every chance we get… From here on out." He knew he was lying, but he didn't want to face the truth, he didn't want Aidan to face it.

"Dad…" Aidan said, in a pleading tone.

"And… Every time you're off from school… We'll spend it together…" He continued, unable to look at his son, sobbing between his hollow words.

"Dad…" Aidan tried once again. "Dad… Dad listen to me… I know what's going to happen… And it's okay… I'm going to get to finally see mom again and we'll be waiting for you-"

"Don't say that!" Henry yelled, finally looking at his son. "You'll be fine, we're going to make it. Everything will be alright and-"

"I know you can't shut it down…" Aidan cut him off, now looking at the ground. "If you could… You would have done it by now…"

Dr. Johnson couldn't speak, he just stared at his son. Aidan knew, knew what was going to happen, and it was all his fault.

 _I did this… Why couldn't I just wait… Why didn't I-_

As if reading his thoughts, Aidan spoke.

"It's alright, dad… It's not your fault… But you can still make it out of here…"

He couldn't believe it, his son was trying to get him to leave him here… Alone...

"No… No I'm not leaving you here… Not like this…" Henry had ceased all attempts at being strong, his only son was going to die… and it was all his fault.

"Warning radiation leak detected, please evacuate. Warning radiation leak detected please-"

He paid no attention to the computer, his only focus was his son, that was it. Aidan slumped against the glass, his chest heaving in and out in exhaustedly, his eyes drooping, the phone barely clung in his weakening grasp.

"Just go…" His son whispered, collapsing to the floor, motionless.

"Aidan!" The doctor's hoarse voice shrilled in horror.

Limbs brimming with adrenaline, Henry hoisted up the nearby chair, lifting it over his head and slamming it against the glass repeatedly, grunting in exertion with each strike. He continued this process, increasing the acceleration until his muscles felt as if they were doused in flame, uttering a primal scream every time the blow connected. Eventually, the chair literally split in two, crashing against the glass and toppling onto the desk, bringing with it pens, coffee mugs, piled pieces of paper, and other objects that scattered across the polished floor.

This didn't impede the doctor, as he instantly clutched a computer monitor, ripping it from its wiring and smashing it against the barrier between him and his son. Chunks of it flew across the control room, exposing the circuitry inside it, and he continued until he was holding onto a fragment of blunt machinery. The scientist discarded it swiftly, and instead began punching the glass with every facet of his strength, blow after blow, even after audible cracks resonated from his knuckles. Blood dripped from his flailing limbs as he persisted, barely chipping away the surface of the glass.

 _He's… right there…_

"Warning core meltdown imminent please evacuate. Warning core meltdown imminent please evacuate. Warning core meltdown imminent ple-"

Suddenly, a loud explosion rang out with a flash of white, swallowing the entire underground level. Everything caught at the center of the blast, was completely destroyed, vanishing in the surge of energy.

* * *

Flying over Central City, a man, completely encased in silver with glowing yellow eyes was headed directly for S.T.A.R. Labs. He wore a red atomic symbol on his chest with matching gloves and blue boots. This man was known as Captain Atom, one of the newest members of the Justice League and hero of Earth. Tonight, he was on a mission.

"Captain Atom to Watchtower, do you read?" He radioed over his communicator.

"This is Batman, go ahead."

"I'm approaching S.T.A.R. Labs, the building seems intact and I don't detect any radiation yet. I'm going in for a closer look."

"Acknowledged, radio in if you have anything further to report. Batman out."

Earlier, one of the League members reported an alert from the S.T.A.R. Labs facility in Central City, a possible radiation leak was the reason he was called in. But so far, it didn't seem like anything was out of the ordinary, the building wasn't destroyed and there were no signs of radiation. Still, he needed confirmation, so he flew down to investigate. Upon reaching the entrance, he was stopped by security.

"Halt, this facility is under lockdown, state your business or vacate the premises immediately." One of them ordered.

Just as the words left his mouth, an extremely flustered scientist pushed past them before speaking.

" Oh thank goodness you're here, let him through you idiots! He's the one we called for."

All at once the security guards lowered their weapons before the guard spoke.

"Apologies doctor, we should have known. Step aside men, make way." The man ordered.

All of the armed men stood at attention and made a path for Captain Atom and the scientist. While following the doctor, the hero proceeded to ask questions.

"What's the situation doctor?"

"For the last several years, S.T.A.R. Labs in Central City has been working on plans for the creation of a nuclear fusion reactor in secret."

The doctor showed his I.D. to the door before the pair moved inside, then continued to speak.

"Just recently however, those plans had come to fruition. Beneath the facility was a single underground level, only accessible to a select few. It housed the prototype model of the reactor that had been built over the course of a few months. Tonight was going to be the first official test run of the prototype but we ran into… technical difficulties." The doctor explained, putting emphasis on the last two words.

"What kind of technical difficulties are we talking about here?"

"The reactor exploded… most if not all of the underground level was destroyed in the blast but we're not certain. We couldn't risk sending anyone to check because of the possibility of radiation lingering in the area."

"Were there any casualties?"

"Two… Dr. Henry Johnson, the head scientist of the project and his son, Aidan Johnson. The poor boy was only fifteen."

"What do you need me to do?"

At this point they were standing near the elevator that assessed the lower level.

"We need you to see the state in which the underground level is in and remove the radiation from the area. That is all."

"Scout out the area and clear the radiation, roger."

"Good luck Captain and be careful down there."

Stepping into the elevator Captain Atom pressed the button and slowly descended to the bottom. If what the scientist said was true, he wasn't going to find anything but rubble and radiation down there. When the elevator doors opened, he was proven right. Through his unique vision, Atom perceived heavy, buoyant clouds of amber gas, filling every corner of the room, increasingly luminous as radiation levels rose. As he stepped further into the heavily irradiated zone, he realized that the explosion seemed to have taken out some of the supports for underground level. If he was going to clear all of the radiation out, he would have to dig his way through without burying himself in the process.

"This might take awhile."

After spending what felt like hours digging and absorbing radioactive energy into the quantum field, Captain Atom had successfully explored the entirety of the underground floor.

"That seems like all of it, better head back to the elevator… Hold on a minute."

Looking down a hallway he had previously passed, he noticed a glimmering shimmer, albeit faint, of thermal energy and radiation exuding behind a wall.

"I thought I just cleared this area."

Moving toward the energy signature, he carefully cleared away the rocks and rubble with some focused energy blasts. When his path was clear, what he found stopped him dead in his tracks. A boy no older than sixteen was laying limp on the ground, his body smoldering faintly, covered in dark residue. This completely surprised the Captain, no one could have survived that explosion intact, especially right beside the source. Remembering that the boy required medical attention, Captain Atom rushed to his side before gently picking him up.

"Hang on there soldier, I'm getting you out of here."

* * *

 **A/N: And the first chapter ends... There you have it folks and whether you hate it, love it, or something in between please feel free to leave a comment on what you thought. Remember... This is only the beginning. Hope you stick around and have a goodnight. (or morning, it was night when I finished this.)**


	2. Chapter 2: From Ashes

**A/N: Hey everyone, we're back with yet another chapter, albeit short but still. Now there is a reason as to why this one is shorter and as such I decided to upload it quicker than originally planned. Since this is the case, I plan on working on chapter 3 and uploading by Monday at the latest. Like I said before, in the event that I feel a chapter is not ready or vice versa, the upload time may change. Anywho, I hope you guys like this chapter, so enjoy.**

* * *

 **Unknown Location**

 **July 5, 2008**

 **01:00 CDT**

Aidan awoke to the muffled sounds of distant beeping and distorted voices. As he regained the feeling of his weary body, he felt as if he were floating. Slowly opening his eyes, he nearly panicked. He was inside a pod completely filled with dense green liquid, floating idly inside. It wasn't until he realized that he could still breath, that he calmed down a little. But, at the sudden shock and awareness of his surroundings, his vitals had spiked, alerting the people in front of him that he was awake. Above Aidan's head, a light flared to life, illuminating the encompassing fluid and his own naked body. Through the glass and liquid, the forms of the individuals were blurred and refracted, and Aidan couldn't determine their appearances besides their dark silhouettes. As the pair approached him, his mind was swarming with questions. Where was he? What happened? Why was he here? As these thoughts swirled in his head, he didn't register that one of the two had asked him a question.

"Can you hear me?" A deep gravelly voice inquired.

The tone of it was mechanical, as if it were being processed through speakers, but nevertheless clear.

"Y-Yes." Aidan hesitantly answered, his own voice hoarse and weak, but they clearly acknowledged him.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm… fine, I guess."

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Aidan," he stated, "Aidan Johnson."

"What do you remember, Aidan?"

"I… I was at S.T.A.R. Labs where my dad works," he began in vague recollection, "I got tired of waiting in his office so I went looking for him. I found an elevator that went down to the underground level where they were working on some kind of… machine. When they turned it on… Something went wrong; I got locked in the room and they couldn't shut it down… And then-"

"The meltdown." The voice finished.

Aidan just remained silent, looking back on the aforementioned event as if it were a muddled dream, lost in memory.

 _Wait… Did he say meltdown? Like, nuclear meltdown?_

Immediately after he recognized what the man had implied, his heart plummeted in panging grief. He almost didn't want to ask, but he needed to know.

"Is-Is my dad… Did he..?" Aidan trailed off, unable to finish.

"No," the voice solemnly responded, "I'm sorry." He finished in a lower tone.

Aidan's fragile mind drew a blank at this confirmation, and he curled up within his liquid tank, in a dejected fetal position, face buried in his crossed arms.

"You should get some rest." The voice suggested insistently, but the words fell on deaf ears.

The light within the tank flicked off, sending Aidan into a world of darkness. Eventually, he fell into a dreamless slumber, lifting the burden of consciousness off of his exhausted mind.

* * *

Captain Atom's radiant yellow eyes trailed over the stagnant form of the resting boy in the recovery tank; his distraught body language apparent even in his sleep. The army veteran recalled sifting through thousands of rads in the lower level of S.T.A.R Labs. The fate that the boy's father met was to be expected in a meltdown of that magnitude; the fact that his offspring survived, positioned so close to the reactor, could be considered a miracle, in Atom's eyes.

"Poor kid." He remarked sympathetically.

Beside him, the Caped Crusader, fitted in his padded dark grey costume, a jet black bat insignia sprawled onto the torso, a pouched utility belt, and a voluminous sable cape and matching bat-eared cowl, spun away from the floating boy, ignoring Atom's comment. He strode toward a nearby computer terminal, his footsteps completely silent against the metal floor, indicating a practiced clandestine gait. As he approached, an azure holographic display materialized, bathing the chamber in blue light. The Batman sifted through a multitude of medical charts, blood samples, tissue analyses, and neurological readings.

After a fleeting glance at the boy, Captain Atom followed the Batman's path, now directly behind him, gazing over his shoulder with slight recognition.

"Are these his files?" The Captain queried, his eyes scanning their contents.

"Yes," he confirmed, "The nanites in the recovery tank have been stabilizing and analyzing him since he was submerged."

The Captain patiently waited for him to continue, and seeing that he didn't, expectantly asked, "So, what have you found out?"

"The radiation from the meltdown has severely altered his DNA base sequence, resulting in a series of mutations. Surprisingly enough, they haven't had harmful effects on his intracellular transport, metabolic activity, or brain function. I've also noticed changes in the structure of his RNA, which has had a distinct impact on his body's protein synthesis. In addition to all of this, foreign contaminants have modified the composition of his ATP molecules, reworking his entire body's energy containment and utilization. Lastly," the Dark Knight took a brief breath before continuing, "There are entirely new organelles within his cells, which are being reproduced across all forms of cell division."

Although he didn't present a facial reaction, Captain Atom was almost as ignorant as he was before the explanation.

"What does that mean for him?" He asked, gesturing towards the recovering boy.

The Batman followed his gesture, his solid white stare focusing in on the tank, crossing his arms over his bat insignia. "Theoretically, these organelles can simulate the process of nuclear fusion, taking atoms and highly condensing and heating them until they've combined. The energy released by this will be converted into modified ATP by the mitochondria, and can be stored. Alternatively, I believe he has the capability to expel the energy manually, if he were trained."

The Captain took a few moments to absorb all of this information, coming to a basic conclusion from Batman's scientific interpretation. "Basically, he's become a living fusion reactor…"

"Yes," Batman affirmed, "And he also can discharge energy, similar to your own abilities."

The former air force intelligence officer stepped toward the recovery tank, halting directly in front of it. He peered through the dense, obscuring liquid, fixating on the faint figure bobbing up and down inside.

"What now?" Atom questioned aloud, still staring into the tank. "What happens to him?"

"The last of his family went with his father." The Justice League founder replied impassively. "He'll most likely be put into a foster family now." The Batman strode to stand beside Atom, studying the boy along with him. "There's also the matter of him being trained; I won't allow a possibly dangerous metahuman to discover and use his abilities by himself." He shifted his gaze to his fellow Justice League member. "I thought you would be suitable for the task, considering the nature of his abilities."

The Atom's stoic facial expression demonstrated a hint of confusion. "Really?"

"Of course," the Dark Knight assured, "Your manipulation of the quantum field, in practice, would be much alike to his energy discharge." Batman paused to think, then continued in a lower tone. "And I'm sure we could also arrange you to become his legal guardian rather than be put into a family. It would certainly aid in his mentorship."

Captain Atom brooded over the implications of the entire situation, pondering every meticulous facet of it. For years, he hasn't had anyone to care for, and honestly, he wasn't confident in himself being able to do it again. However, it was the Batman who conjured up this idea, and Atom hasn't met another man more knowledgeable than him.

"I'll consider it," he began thoughtfully, "But we'll need to ask him first."

* * *

 **A/N: I have to give credit where credit is due and with that said a big thanks to Shepardnick for helping out immensely with this chapter. He was responsible for all of the research and writing of this part, so once again, thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3: Time Goes On

**A/N: Ok, so three month hiatus. I could do what most authors do and give you a whole list of reasons as to why I haven't uploaded, but I won't. I know what I said, and I do feel an obligation to apologize for the wait, so... I'm sorry. Unfortunately, uploads will come only when I feel they are ready. However, once I establish a better schedule, you can hope for more consistent updating.**

* * *

 **Central City**

 **July 12, 2008**

 **12:00 CDT**

It's been a week since Captain Atom had found Aidan in the underground level below S.T.A.R. Labs. In that time, after first explaining the situation to the teen, he had been granted the authority of legal guardian over Aidan, with his permission of course. Under his alias Cameron Scott, the superhero now had legal custody and full responsibility in being the boy's caretaker. With the help of Batman, they found a house in Windsor Heights, a rather exclusive residential area with a sizable, dispersed neighborhood. It would provide the two with the space and quiet necessary for training. Right now, Atom maneuvered his silver Toyota through the wide, sun-baked asphalt streets, slowly ascending the hilly terrain. Currently in his human form, with chiseled facial features, a short white haircut, and sparkling blue eyes, the Captain glanced at the teenager to his right, who was sunken in his seat, gaze firmly positioned out his window. Obviously, the kid was a bit… anxious about this whole arrangement; hell, so was the veteran. Atom wasn't very confident in his ability to care for him, but he was certainly going to try, for his sake.

 _The address is 486, Golden Orchard Drive…_

The Captain's eyes traipsed over the numbers embedded into the nearby houses.

 _483, 484, 485… There it is._

It was a refined, homely building, composed of muted red brick, with a multitude of shaded windows planted in duos in its surface, and a light brown roof stacked above it. A few neatly trimmed trees were placed in the lines of dark soil directly outside the house, adjacent to equally attended bushes and ferns. The healthy green grass in the front yard was a perfect short length, seemingly undisturbed completely by other impeding foliage.

Atom pulled into the driveway, momentarily staring at the garage door before compressing the button attached to his keys. The barrier immediately responded, rising into the ceiling of the garage's interior, and he steered the vehicle inside. After settling in, he promptly twisted the keys, and the car's combustion engine died, it's constant low vibration halting in a second. For a brief period, the two just sat there, absorbing the bleeding silence.

"Well… We're here." Aidan stated plainly.

 _The first thing he's said since we started driving._

"Yes, we are."

The two burrowed in the uncomfortable silence, waiting for the other to continue.

"Let's take a look inside." Captain Atom determined after some time.

"Right…"

They promptly exited the vehicle, grabbing their luggage from the trunk, with Atom hoisting most of it. They stepped up a few wooden steps, inserting a key into the door, twisting it, then opening the insulated door.

Atom's gaze set upon a pristine kitchen, complete with marble countertops and a rich ebony hardwood floor. Bright white light, illuminating floating dust drifting in the air, flooded in from a window above the polished faucet, shining upon a grey stove and oven, a matching tall refrigerator, a toaster, and other standard kitchen appliances. The Captain sifted through the various cupboards, drawers, pantry, and fridge, discovering them already stuffed with fresh food, silverware, and dinnerware.

"Looks like we don't have to go shopping anytime soon." He remarked surprisingly.

Aidan simply nodded in response, moving past Atom into the entrance hallway, glancing at the ornate modern furniture neatly displayed there, then continued into the living room. The Captain followed after a moment.

A long, soft brown couch hugged the wall beneath two shaded windows, sat beside a glass coffee table. On the other side of the room, a 90 inch flat screen hung against the wall, with a dark entertainment center fixed around it.

Turning to face the Justice League member, Aidan whistled, clearly impressed.

"If the upstairs is as nice as down here, I'll be happy."

Plopping his luggage onto the carpet, Aidan bounded up the winding stairs and disappeared from the Captain's sight.

Discarding his own luggage carefully beside Aidan's, Atom proceeded to follow the teenager's path, striding up the staircase with his own suppressed curiosity.

The veteran spotted a completely open door to his right, where the teen presumably went. Atom entered the room and took a gander around.

A voluptuous, king-size bed dominated the center of the room, silken sheets clinging to its surface. Opposite that, hanging against the wall was another flat screen television, which was slightly smaller than the one downstairs. Metal shutters were attached to a wide window, with a switch beside it that presumably controlled its activation. To Atom's right, a single door stood slightly ajar. The man pulled it open, peering into a sizable walk-in closet, with drawers and racks just waiting to be filled. He gave it a satisfied glimpse before his eyes gravitated towards another door, remaining unopened.

The Captain strode towards it, pushing the obstacle open in the same motion, and gazed into a squeaky clean bathroom, polished alabaster floor perfectly reflecting his curious visage. Two faucets were installed into an equally spotless counter to the left, with a crystal clear, wall-encompassing mirror situated above them. To the right, a curved, pearly white bathtub was positioned perfectly onto the floor, looking like it fell straight out of a Bed Bath & Beyond commercial. Further into the bathroom, located in the top right corner was a modestly sized shower, with purposely obscured glass concealing the interior.

Popping his head out of the bathroom, Atom looked toward his soon-to-be protégé, gaging his reaction.

"A bathroom, flat screen TV, walk-in closet, king size bed, and window shutters to boot," he listed off in a blur, "This place has everything."

The Captain raised a hand to halt him, and the teen faced him expectantly.

"Hang on there soldier, don't relax just yet. We still have to unpack and get fully situated."

Aidan sighed wearily before replying.

"Right…"

"And just so we're clear, this is my room."

Aidan's head whipped up at this declaration, an expression of indignance gripping him.

"I found it first!"

* * *

 **Central City**

 **June 13, 2009**

 **14:30 CDT**

Beads of sweat trickled down Aidan's forehead as his face scrunched up in concentration. Heat radiated throughout the room from the flames exuding from his hands. For almost seven hours straight he had been training with Captain Atom down in the repurposed basement. Thanks to Batman, the underground level was outfitted with all the safety precautions necessary for him and Captain Atom to use their powers for practice. Since that was the case, he trained daily with Captain Atom to get a handle on his powers, and for the past year he's gotten pretty good. At the moment, he was doing an endurance exercise. For hours on end he would expel fire from his palms and while doing so, practice the Hapkido martial arts Batman had taught him. This would train his body to not only use the energy more sparingly, but also instruct it to conserve it.

"That's enough for now." The Captain said as he rose from his seat off to the side.

"Finally!" The tired teen exclaimed, panting.

"You're getting better, almost five hours this time soldier." Atom remarked, handing Aidan a water bottle as he approached him.

"So…" Aidan paused to take a large gulp of water before continuing, "Does that mean we can stop the endurance exercises now?"

His mentor just smiled before answering.

"Not a chance."

Aidan groaned in response, collapsing on the floor in the process.

"Remember, you never know how long a confrontation with the enemy will take, it could be minutes or-"

"Hours… I know, you've said before." Aidan finished wearily, still laying on his back.

"With your powers, you could sustain yourself throughout the entire engagement, while still using your abilities. And if you can control your energy consumption and generation, you could tire out a stronger opponent such as the Flash."

 _If he doesn't knock me out first._

Sighing, Aidan looked up to mentor before speaking.

"I'm just going to say it again, I don't know if I like the idea of only being powered by nuclear energy, doesn't sound good for my health."

"Aidan, the ability to create your energy from nothing, and to keep on fighting without tiring or fatigue is invaluable."

"And so you and Batman have told me time and time again."

"Even with my power of energy absorption, I can't fight forever."

 _Well yeah, but that doesn't mean I can._

"Now get up, your break is over. We're going to move on to shielding exercises."

Aidan groaned in response before pushing himself off the comfortable metal surface. Moving into a ready stance, he extended his arms outward in front of him, palms facing toward Captain Atom. He waited patiently for him to attack, preparing to shield himself at any given moment. He didn't have to wait long as a burst of yellow energy came flying at him. The superhero in training immediately created a ward of pulsing blue energy, fluctuating violently from the attack. He had learned this technique some time ago, using the plasma created from his body he could create a barrier that would absorb and deflect attacks when necessary. The shield itself was no more than a flat oval shape of erratic energy, the shape distorted and irregular. Similar to the endurance exercise, Aidan would have to keep the energy going for as long as possible while keeping himself rejuvenated. The trick though, was that the Captain would run circles around him, changing his angle of attack and forcing Aidan to react in response. This alone made the exercise just as exerting as the previous, not only would Aidan have to concentrate on keeping the energy flowing but also focus on avoiding the Captain's attacks. While standing still he would have to dispel the shield, turn, then recreate it to block the Captain's next attack.

"Try not to turn your body so much, remember to use your other hand and that your upper body is the main thing that should move."

 _Easy for you to say, you've been sitting down the whole time._

Taking his advice to heart, Aidan stopped turning his entire body and utilized his other hand more often. This in turn made it easier to block the Captain's attacks with less movement.

"Very good soldier, now let's see if we can beat your record."

* * *

 **Central City**

 **July 4, 2009**

 **21:00 CDT**

Captain Atom trained his attention completely on the road ahead, ignoring the fireworks and parade music coming from outside the car. The vehicle moved swiftly across the winding road, speeding toward it's destination. Glancing to his right briefly, Aidan was quietly staring outside the window, watching the outside scenery rush past them. It had been one year, one whole year since Atom had found the young man beneath S.T.A.R. Labs. After all this time, not once had the incident been brought up, not until recently. Slowing down the car to a stop, Atom parked the silver Toyota in the empty parking space.

"We're here." He announced, taking out the keys from the ignition.

For the first time since the drive began, Aidan removed his gaze from the window and looked forward; the gates of Central City Cemetery gazed back at them. Gradually, both Aidan and Atom, dressed in all black formal attire, stepped out of the car; the teen began striding through the front gates with a bouquet of flowers in hand, Atom directly behind him.

Strolling through the cemetery grounds, the pair passed multiple gravestones, trees, and a few citizens paying their respects. The echos of fireworks and cheers could still be heard coming from the main city, but they just tuned out the festivities. The sun was setting, the last of its light being blocked by the nearby foliage. A cool wind rushed through the air, giving a slight breeze to the outside climate. Moving in a precise fashion, the two arrived at their destination, two isolated gravestones. Taking a cautious step forward, Aidan knelt down in front of his parent's resting place, placing the offering between them.

"Hey… Mom… Dad…" The boy began, his voice a hoarse whisper.

Clearing his throat, Aidan took a moment to steel himself before continuing, all the while Captain Atom stood behind him, ready to offer his support.

"It's… Been awhile… Since we last spoke. Things… Have been going well... I'm training to become a superhero now… I'm going to help people, and save them, just like Captain Atom." Taking a deep breath, Aidan took a moment before resuming. "I miss you… There isn't a day that goes by where I don't…" Sighing, the teen lifted his head, leveling his swirling blue eyes to the stones. "I wish… I wish things had been different… If I had just waited for Dad that day… If I hadn't been so stupid, if I… If I…"

It was at this point that the young man truly lost his resolve. No longer was he the strong, confident protege Atom had come to know, but the orphaned boy that he found a year ago. Stepping up behind him, Atom placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, who was desperately trying to hold back his tears. Aidan gazed up at his mentor, his tear-filled eyes meeting his.

"It's alright soldier, you don't have to be strong here."

At this, the teen faced the ground once more and let the world hear his sorrow. The pain and grief that he had kept in check for so long came flooding out. It was then that the Captain finally understood, that in the end, this would only make Aidan even stronger.

After some time, Aidan had gotten control of himself, and began walking back toward the car. Taking one final glance at the gravestone, Atom turned toward both before speaking.

"I promise you, I will do everything I can to take care of your son."

Then he left.

* * *

 **Central City**

 **May 16, 2010**

 **00:00 CDT**

The sounds of fighting bounced off the basement walls, echoing throughout the entire underground floor. In the center of the room was Aidan and Batman, practicing martial arts training. Right now, Aidan was on the attack, throwing kicks and punches at Batman who in turn, blocked or dodged them. Along with training his powers, Batman thought it would be a good idea to train him in hand to hand combat, and as such he decided to do it personally, for reasons unknown.

"Watch your footing, raise your leg higher when kicking, strike faster in your jabs…" The Dark Knight listed off tip after tip as Aidan continued to attack.

Whenever Aidan trained with Batman, there was always need for improvement. His balance, his footwork, his movement, everything seemed to be a little off. Even after training for over a year Batman still managed to find something Aidan was lacking in. Then again, Aidan never did manage to take him down. Suddenly, he felt the ground vanish beneath his feet before he landed roughly on his back. The caped crusader moved toward him, concealing his prone form from the glaring lights overhead, before offering his hand.

"You're improving." He said as he helped the teen up.

"Thanks." Aidan replied, now fully standing in front of the caped crusader.

They both proceeded off to the side where Captain Atom was sitting, watching from afar. He handed Aidan a water bottle and offered one to Batman, only for him to decline.

 _How does he wear all that, train, and not have to drink water afterward? It looks like he didn't even break a sweat._

"How has the combination of your powers and Hapkido been working out?"

After some considerable martial arts training, Batman told Aidan to practice in unison with his powers. A few months later, Aidan had it down pat.

"Not bad, I've pretty much mastered the ability of expelling fire and energy while punching, kicking, and that stuff."

"Good, and your endurance?"

"He can keep expelling energy twelve hours straight while keeping himself rejuvenated."

 _The worst twelve hours of my life._

"In that case, we'll begin the next phase of your training immediately."

Coughing up the water he was drinking, only one thought came to Aidan's mind.

 _Oh no._

* * *

 **Central City**

 **June 28, 2010**

 **20:00 CDT**

The sizzling of food and clanging of pots and pans reverberated throughout the kitchen. Moving swiftly from the stove to the dining room table was Aidan, preparing dinner once again. Since his father couldn't cook, Aidan had learned the skill so they wouldn't have to always get takeout. This was the same case for Captain Atom who couldn't cook either. Whenever Aidan felt like preparing a meal and if they had the ingredients for the dish, he would. Right now, the Captain was between the threshold of the kitchen and dining room, watching the teen work.

"Smells good, what'd you make this time?" He asked.

"I decided to make oven baked macaroni n' cheese alongside a greek salad bowl with baked chicken drumsticks, french bread, and broiled steak." Aidan replied without stopping.

"Sounds delicious, how much longer?"

"Just a few more minutes, do me a favor and set up the rest of the table."

"Sure thing."

The superhero moved quickly toward the dining room table, arranging the plates and silverware for dinner. The table was large, rectangle shape, easily suitable for multiple guests, but they never had to worry about that. They rarely had guests over. Taking his seat at the table, Captain Atom waited patiently for Aidan to finish cooking.

"All done." Aidan exclaimed from the kitchen.

The teen then entered the dining room with multiple bowls and plates, balancing them carefully in his arms before setting the food on the table.

"Careful, it's hot." He warned before sitting down himself.

Captain Atom immediately started to dig in, starting with the baked chicken drumsticks and mac n' cheese.

"How is it?" Aidan asked after the Captain took a bite.

"Delicious as always Aidan, good work soldier."

"Thanks, I had use a couple different spices because we didn't have the ones in the recipe."

The two continued to eat their dinner in silence, the occasional clanking of their silverware against their plates the only sounds in the room. After they finished, Aidan began to clean up and wash the dishes while Captain Atom helped him.

"Hold on; I need to grab something." Captain Atom stated before heading upstairs.

Inside his room underneath his bed was a single box, he carefully hoisted it up before heading back downstairs to Aidan. Once he was downstairs, he stood in front of the young man and handed him the box. The seventeen-year-old took it gingerly, giving Atom a confused look as he held the cardboard object.

"I thought about giving it to you on your birthday, but decided now would be a better time."

Opening the box Aidan's eyes widened in surprise as he took out a jet black head mask and uniform. The fabric had a strange texture and felt slightly heavier than it looked. The gloves, belt, and boots were pure white, along with the slits of the eyes. The mask itself was made to cover the entire head and some of the neck. On the front of the outfit, a circular insignia, formed by two swirling balls of energy, one electric blue and the other crimson red, took up the center of the torso region. Captain Atom watched his protege's reaction with a smile on his face. He felt pride and admiration swell up in his chest, looking at how far his surrogate son has come.

"Now I know what next week's date means to you, but Batman and the rest of the founders have decided on making their sidekicks full fledged members of the league. I thought you could take the first step with them." He explained slowly, judging his reaction.

"And what does Batman think?"

"I believe you are ready." Came a low, baritone voice behind them.

Both Aidan and Captain Atom jumped up in response, but soon calmed down upon seeing their uninvited guest.

"You've been training for two years now Aidan, you're ready to take the next step."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed. A major thanks to Shepardnick who, as always, played a massive role in the writing of this chapter. And thank you to everyone who's waited for this story's continuation. Hope you stick around and have a good night! (or morning, it was night when I finished this.)**


	4. Chapter 4: The First Step

**A/N: Hey everyone, we're back again with yet another chapter. Once again, comments and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated. Anyway, on to the chapter, enjoy.**

* * *

 **Washington, D.C.**

 **July 4, 2010**

 **14:00 EDT**

It was midday, the sun shining brightly in the cloudy sky. The Hall of Justice, headquarters of the Justice League, immense in size and scope, stood paramount as the only building in its zone. The massive stone walls arched up high, reaching for the clouds. The structure with all its grandeur was more akin to that of a fortress, the complex's magnitude making it appear as such. Both at the front entrance and inside, dozens of tourists snapped pictures and explored the facility, lead by their tour guides.

Within the inner sanctum, Aidan followed Captain Atom close-by as he was shown around the base. They had arrived an hour earlier, touring the various rooms and areas, from the gym to the fully-stocked galley. All the while, Aidan's nervousness never left him, he would be meeting members of the Justice League and their sidekicks as well. He always wondered when this day would come, and now it was here.

"The others will be arriving soon, we'll wait for them here." Atom stated, indicating the library they had just walked into.

Settling down in one of the many cushioned chairs, Aidan tried his best to relax, the thoughts of the upcoming assembly weighing heavily on his mind.

 _Am I ready for this? What will the others think? What if I screw up? What if they don't accept me?_

"Aidan… Aidan?" The young man was so caught up in his deliberations that he hadn't heard his mentor calling his name.

"Oh… Um. Sorry. What's up?" The novice asked.

"At ease soldier. There's nothing to be nervous about."

Sighing, Aidan slumped back into the chair before responding.

"Captain… What if… What if I'm not ready? The others have fought for real. Have had actual experience fighting crime. I don't have any of that." He surmised somewhat dejectedly.

"You don't think you're ready."

It was more of a statement than a question, Aidan simply nodded.

"Aidan, I understand why you feel that way, but believe me. If you don't try, you'll never know for sure. Besides, both Batman and I believe you're prepared. We wouldn't have suggested it otherwise." Atom assured his pupil.

"Thanks Captain." Aidan thanked him, bowing his head in gratitude,

Just then, the automatic doors on the opposite side of the room swooshed open, followed by a deep, tranquil voice.

"And of course, our library."

Turning toward the source, both Captain Atom and Aidan spotted the rest of the Justice League members and their respective sidekicks strolling in. Standing up, the silverman stepped toward the group in order to greet them, his surrogate son following him.

"Ah… Captain Atom, it's good to see you." A flowing scarlet blue cloaked, tall green-skinned figure stated courteously.

He was Martian Manhunter, a founding member of the Justice League and origin of the voice Aidan had heard previously. Taking the time to look at the individuals in front of them, Aidan identified each one in his mind, from front to back.

 _Batman, Flash, Red Tornado, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Speedy._

"You too, Martian Manhunter."

The Martian set his crimson red gaze on the costumed superhero, blankly.

"I assume this is your protege. Fusion, was it?"

"Hold on! Captain Atom has a sidekick? Since when-" Kid Flash yelped in pain after being punched in the arm by Robin.

"Dude! Not cool." The boy wonder whispered harshly.

Ignoring the sidekicks' antics, Atom looked toward Aidan before inclining his head toward them. He got the picture, and slowly approached Martian Manhunter, offering his hand in greeting.

"It's an honor to be here." He spoke with as calm as a voice he could muster.

Even behind the concealment of his mask, Aidan felt that the Martian could see right through him; how nervous and tense he was.

"We're glad to have you amongst us. You will be most welcome by your compatriots." He cast a gesture towards the other sidekicks.

"Why don't you all take a seat? Get to know the new guy." Flash announced cheerily, motioning his hands toward the surrounding chairs.

Taking his advice, Aidan took a seat with the rest of the sidekicks, aside from Speedy who continued to stand. The Justice League members strode off to the side, having their own conversation amongst themselves. Immediately, Kid Flash moved on to introduce everyone.

"I'm Kid Flash, that's Robin, Aqualad, and Speedy." The speedster rattled off each name instantly, rushing next to the person as he said their title before zooming back to his seat.

"I know, it's nice meet all of you." The newcomer answered, his voice now completely relaxed.

"So Fusion, how long have you been Captain Atom's sidekick?" Robin asked, tilting his head in the superhero's direction.

"Two years."

"What are your powers?" Kid Flash cut-in, his tone laced with growing curiosity.

"I'm can create blasts of energy, like Captain Atom."

"How did he become your mentor?" Aqualad questioned, contributing to the dialogue.

At this, Aidan paused. He didn't know how to respond to this question, Batman had instructed him thoroughly on the prospect of privacy and secrecy. The young hero learned that the most confidential piece of information that he could divulge to anyone, was his identity.

 _But this is different, they're going to be my teammates. We have to trust one another. Also, no said I have to give them the all the details._

"That's it!" Speedy shouted, now standing in front of the Justice League members and interrupting Aidan's thoughts. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass."

Crossing his arms with a frown marring his features, the archer let his indignation and anger at the situation be known. The entire room's attention now focused on him.

"It's a first step. You have been granted access few others get." Aquaman replied, as if it were obvious.

"Oh really…" The bowman countered, pointing his arm toward the tourists who were snapping pictures beyond the window above the library. "Who cares what side of the glass we're on?!"

 _I never noticed that before._

"Speedy, you just need to be patient." Green Arrow explained, trying to calm his ward as he stepped toward the young man.

"What I need is respect." Turning toward his fellow sidekicks, the apprentice continued. "They're treating us like kids. Worse, like **sidekicks**! We deserve better than this." He claimed, putting emphasis on the word sidekicks.

Aidan and the others simply glanced at each other in response to his claims.

"You're kidding right?! You're playing their game?! Why?!" He shouted, obviously shocked that the others didn't see his view. "Today was supposed to be thee **day** ,step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League." He stated, his frustration evident in his body language.

"Well... Sure, but I thought step one was a tour of the HQ." Kid Flash responded, glancing toward Robin before facing Speedy.

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ." Speedy revealed, everyone now showing expressions of surprise at this disclosure.

 _Wait what?_

"I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists and a pit stop for catching Zeta-beam teleporter-tubes to the real thing, an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower." He concluded, arms gesturing toward the ceiling.

Behind him Batman's knowing gaze landed on his mentor, Green Arrow, who turned around to in order face him.

"I know, I know, but I thought... Maybe we could make an exception." He reasoned, shrugging his shoulders.

The Dark Knight crossed his arms, staring at him disapprovingly.

"Or not."

Aquaman stepped forward, trying to take control of the situation.

"You're not helping your cause here, son. Stand down or-"

"Or what? You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son! I'm not even his. I thought I was his partner, but… Not anymore." Speedy declared, throwing his cap to the floor.

Aidan and the others were all stunned at this. The young man simply turned around and marched angrily toward the exit, not before stopping next to Aidan however.

"And what about you? Are you going to play second fiddle?"

It wasn't a question the teen had expected to be asked today. So it wasn't surprising when he didn't reply right away, Speedy took his silence as an answer.

"Then I guess they're right about you four… You're not ready."

And with that he left, leaving all the occupants of the room with some degree of astoundment. There was no time for his departure to sink in however, the moment the automated doors closed behind him, loud alarms began blaring incessantly. A nearby computer terminal sparked to life with a video feed of Superman, just as the noise ceased. This automatically drew everyone's attention.

"Superman to Justice League, there's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

The League members strided toward the machine, standing in front of Superman.

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus." Batman began, "This may present the perfect opportunity to-"

"Zitara to Justice League," Another series of alarms sounded off, cutting off Batman while another window popped up on the screen. "The sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Aten to blot out the Sun. Requesting full League response." The formal-dressed man alerted with slight haste, panic somewhat etched in his voice.

"Superman?" Batman questioned.

"It's a small fire, local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait." The caped crusader concluded. Pressing a single button out of the hundreds available, the computer responded back with a slight beep. "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates Batman out."

Turning around, Batman faced Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Aidan as the rest of the Leaguers proceeded to leave.

"Stay put."

"What? Why?" Robin asked, eyes widening in surprise.

"This is a League mission." Aquaman replied, stepping up behind the Dark Knight along with Captain Atom and Flash, who continued."You're not trained to-"

"Since when?" Kid Flash interrupted.

"I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team." He explained, arm extended toward the other three next to him.

"There will be other missions, when you're ready." Aquaman assured.

"And after the threat is over, we'll get everything sorted out." Captain Atom guaranteed, his gaze moving toward Aidan.

"But for now… Stay put." Batman stated with finality, putting emphasis on his orders as his eyes narrowed into slits.

Walking through the exit, the remaining superheros joined the rest of the League, the metal doors sealing shut behind them. This left Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Aidan alone in the library to deal with their frustrations.

"... When we're ready. How we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like-like **sidekicks**?" Kid Flash questioned, his face scrunching up in irritation.

"My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me." Aqualad stated with discouragement, tilting his head to the ground and closing his eyes.

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics. They've got a secret HQ in **space**!" The speedster declared, arms in the air to illustrate his point.

"What else aren't they telling us?" The atlantean questioned, opening his eyes to meet Kid's.

"I have a better question: Why didn't we leave with Speedy?" Robin asked, recalling what the archer had said.

At this, the three sidekicks bowed their heads, remembering their comrade's departure. Aidan on the other hand had taken a seat, trying his best to cope with the situation. He understood their discontent, he felt same, but he also acknowledged the fact that Batman and Captain Atom knew what was best for them. He had trained under both men for over two years, if they felt that he couldn't handle a mission, shouldn't he trust their judgement?

 _But they didn't even trust us with the location of the HQ. If we were going to join the League, why never tell us? And what was the point of all this if we weren't going to become full-fledged members?_

These questions continued to swirl in the young man's mind, trying to make sense of everything. He felt that the League were justified in some aspects, even so, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had been wronged. Didn't he deserve some faith in his capability? He could comprehend if not, but what about the others, they've had more time and experience than him. Doesn't that qualify as enough?

"Fusion… Hey Fusion."

Caught once again pondering his thoughts, Aidan hadn't heard Kid Flash calling his name.

"Sorry, what's up?" He asked, looking up from his seat.

"How would you like to go stop a fire?" The teen offered, the ends of his lips curving upward, forming a toothy grin.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Once again, a major thanks to Shepardnick for editing and helping with this chapter, couldn't have done it without you. Also,** **I just want to thank everyone for following and reading the story so far, I hope you've enjoyed. Hope you stick around and have a goodnight. (or morning, it was night when I finished this.)**


	5. Chapter 5: Into the Depths

**A/N: Happy late Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you enjoyed your holiday as much as I did. Anyway, we're back with yet another chapter and I must say, I really had fun writing this one. I originally planned on uploading this yesterday but wanted more time to edit it. Anywho, on to the story, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Washington D.C.**

 **July 4, 2010**

 **17:00 EDT**

"Project Cadmus is up ahead, just past this next building." Robin announced, his voice level and composed despite sprinting.

At this, Kid Flash strapped on his goggles and dashed ahead without a word, leaving the others in the dust. After agreeing to the mission, Aidan and the others traveled to the Project Cadmus facility on foot, seeing as how it was relatively close by. They didn't want to risk using Zeta-beam teleporter-tubes, since it would log the transit.

 _That and I'm used to long distance._

Upon arriving at their destination, Aidan and his companions were met with the sight of Kid, dangling from a second story window. The local authorities were combating the surging flame from the streets below, spraying jets of high pressure water from their hoses. Billowing smoke poured out from the second floor, the windows lying in glass shards, allowing the smog to rise freely. Atop the burning building were two scientists, tensely gathered in a single spot, lathered in soot and awaiting rescue.

"So smooth." The Boy Wonder remarked sarcastically, white eyes drawn to his careening friend.

 _How did he even get up there? Did he run up the wall?_

"Does he always have to run ahead?" The Atlantean muttered mostly to himself, the gears in his head turning, "We need a plan, we… Robin?"

Aidan glanced around, his gaze traipsing the area, "Where did he go?"

As if responding to their questions, an amused chuckling echoed from the scene ahead. Turning their heads toward the source, the pair saw Robin flip atop the closest fire truck, his yellow-black cape unfurling beneath him, feet clanking against the metal. He squeezed the trigger on his grappling hook, the fibrous cord whipping out, and curling around the ladder before swinging toward Kid Flash. He landed on the windowsill and hoisted Kid up, before they both leapt inside, disappearing from Aidan's sight.

 _Guess they don't call him the Boy Wonder for nothing._

Aqualad swiveled to two firefighters, who were hoisting a spraying hose toward the sputtering. fire. "I need to borrow that!"

Unsheathing two curved hilts, he trained them toward the firefighters, who recoiled in response. In a flash, both his deep black tattoos and the hilts emanated a light blue hue, bathing the area in their glow as the water pouring from the hose surged toward him. The liquid encircled Aqualad, splashing around the asphalt before ultimately shifting into an aquatic tornado. Using this, he steered the current upward, bringing him closer to the two awaiting scientists on the rooftop. Cautiously, the men stepped atop the cylinder and Aqualad lowered them downward. Stepping off onto one of the windows, he directed the water column to the ground before dispersing it.

 _Well, that was pretty cool. My turn._

Not wanting to be outdone, Aidan ran toward the building, collecting energy from his body toward his feet. As soon as he was close enough, he jumped up while simultaneously releasing the energy into a concentrated stream of plasma. The force was strong to propel him upward, sending the young hero into the air before landing him directly on window sill where Aqualad was previously.

 _Nailed it._

Hopping downward into the facility, Aidan landed in a dark office room between Robin and Kid Flash. The room was small, only containing a desk and a few filing cabinets. The only source of illumination was the window above and the computer the youngest of the group was currently hacking.

"Hey Fusion, finally come to join us?" The Boy Wonder quipped, his focus not leaving the screen.

"Find anything yet?" The newest member inquired, ignoring the joke with a shake of his head.

"Nothing yet, this computer doesn't have anything significant on it. How 'bout you Kid?"

"Nope, these cabinets have nothing incriminating in them."

"Then we should move on." Robin suggested, shutting down the machine.

Aidan and Kid Flash nodded in agreement and the three proceeded out into the adjacent hall. Kid turned the corner first and stopping dead in his tracks.

"Elevators should be locked down." He stated with surprise,

Hearing this, Robin rushed ahead with Aidan right behind him. The Boy Wonder ran past the group, stopping right in front of the elevator.

"This is wrong." He asserted, bringing up a holographic display and keyboard from his left glove. "Thought so. This is a high speed express elevator. It doesn't belong in a two story building."

"Neither does what I saw." Aqualad added, strolling toward the express elevator.

"What exactly did you see?" Aidan asked, a little unsettled at the Atlantean's statement.

"Whatever it was, it wasn't human." He answered, before forcing the elevator doors open.

Sauntering up toward Aqualad, the unnerved group peeked over the edge of the floor, meet with the sight of a seemingly endless elevator shaft that descended into the depths of the earth.

 _Good thing I'm not afraid of heights._

"And that is why they need an express elevator." Robin proclaimed, tilting his head up toward the top of the shaft before firing his grappling hook.

Tugging on the line to check if the end was secure, Robin jumped down into the never ending passage, vanishing in the darkness. Aqualad and Kid Flash quickly followed suit, leaving only Aidan.

"Yup, this just keeps getting better and better."

Sighing, the teen took a few steps back before leaping onto the rope, sliding down to catch up with the others. Air whipped around him as he descended downward, the lights and doors rushing past him. Soon, he caught sight of the others and tightened his grip around to the rope to slow his descent.

 _Good thing I'm wearing gloves._

Upon reaching the end of the rope, Aidan jumped off and landed on the edge of the 26th floor, joining the rest of the group.

"There. Go." Robin instructed, closing the holographic display on his forearm.

Immediately, Aqualad forced the metal doors open, leading into a large elongated hall. Pipes stretched across the ceiling and walls with a reverberating tone echoing throughout the corridor. Overhead lights illuminated the tiled floors, giving them a crimson hue. At the end of the passageway was a single door, glowing stark red in the center, signifying that is was locked.

"Welcome to Project Cadmus." Robin announced, gazing around the room.

Following Robin's announcement, Kid Flash dashed ahead once again without a word, leaving Aidan and the others behind.

"Kid wait!" Aqualad yelled, his hand outstretched trying to signal him to stop.

The warning fell on deaf ears however, and just as he reached the end of the corridor a large, grey skinned behemoth came out of nowhere, nearly crushing the speedster as he skidded across the ground. Aidan, Aqualad, and Robin stopped dead in their tracks, completely bewildered at the sight before. Following the behemoth were a whole herd of the giants, slowly trotting along on all fours past the group. They looked like giant gorillas with tusks, just without the fur, and had holes that Aidan assumed were their nostrils on their foreheads. Their eyes were a crimson red, completely ignoring the four intruders watching them.

 _What the heck are these things?_

"No… Nothing strange going on here." Aqualad drawled, eyes wide in surprise.

"Aqualad… is what you saw similar to those… things?" Aidan questioned absently, just as the creatures past them.

"Yes, but it resembled the shape of a human."

 _Great._

"We should keep moving, I'll hack this door up ahead. Watch my back." Robin declared, bringing up his holographic display.

"So, have you guys seen anything like these things before?" Aidan asked, glancing toward the three.

"No, 'fraid not. But they didn't seem hostile." Kid Flash answered, standing next to Robin.

"That, or they didn't notice us." Aidan replied, hoping it was the former.

Suddenly, the previously locked door sprang open, the center light turning green. An electric buzzing sound filled the air and what Aidan saw next made his jaw almost drop in shock. Beyond the door were dozens of tubes with insect like creatures inside, electricity swirling around them. The tubes were stacked on top of each other in rows, on the left and right walls, reaching the ceiling. In the center of the chamber in the far back was a pulsing blue light, shooting up in a steady stream toward a large orb, illuminating the entire room.

"Okay I'm officially 'whelmed." Robin stated, taking a step back from the sight before him.

The group cautiously entered, roaming around the large room. Aidan was starting to feel that they may have stepped into something that was bigger than they could imagine, but didn't want to voice his opinion. Although he had his doubts, it wouldn't do anyone any good if he told them.

"This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world. The real Cadmus isn't on the grid, it generates its own power with these… Things." Kid Flash surmised while examining the creatures. "Must be what their breed for."

"Even the name is a clue. The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragon's teeth into the Earth." Aqualad explained, cupping his chin.

"And this Cadmus creates new life too." Robin added.

"The question is, why?" Aidan wondered.

"Let's find out." Robin remarked, strolling over to a nearby terminal. He plugged in his glove to the station and began hacking into its files.

"They call them, Genomorphs." He began, typing away on his holographic keyboard. "Wooh! Look at the stats on these things. Super strength, telepathy, razor claws. These are living weapons!"

"They're engineering an army. But for who?" Kid Flash inquired, eyes narrowing at the implications.

"Wait, there's something else. Project Kr… Uh! The file is triple encrypted I-I can't-"

"Don't move!" A deep authoritative voice ordered from the group's left.

Looking toward the source of the noise, Aidan saw man wearing a golden helmet and forearm shield with blue pants and upper armor, while the lower torso and arms were black. He had a utility belt and a small Genomorph that looked like a frog with a round head and horns on his right shoulder. Following him were a pack of Genomorphs that looked similar to monkeys without fur. Their features were more angular, their ears pointed, and their teeth and claws razor sharper. Stopping just before the four, the man seemed surprised at their identities.

"Wait… Robin, Aqualad...Kid Flash." He identified the group minus Aidan.

 _Of course._

"At least he got your name right." Robin directed toward Kid, while still hacking the terminal.

"At least he said your names." Aidan muttered, mostly to himself.

"I know you. Guardian, a hero." Aqualad stated slowly.

"I do my best."

"Then what are you doing here!" Kid Flash exclaimed with disbelief.

"I'm chief of security, you're trespassing. But we can call the Justice League, figure this out."

"You think the League is going to approve of you breeding weapons!"

"Weapons? What are you… What have I… Uh… My head…" Just after Kid Flash revealed that piece of information, the Genomorph on Guardian's shoulder turned its head to face him, its horn glowing a vibrant red. "Take em' down hard! No mercy!"

Immediately, the pack of beasts charged forward, following his orders to the letter. Robin jumped in front of Aidan and threw what looked like smoke pellets toward the ground. The gas spread across the area around them, just as the animals closed in. Thanks to the smoke, Aidan couldn't see his surroundings or his companions, so he wasn't prepared when one of the creatures latched onto his back. Instincts kicking in, Aidan grabbed the Genomorph clawing his back, sent electricity through his arms and threw the creature forward. Just then, two more of the beasts appeared through the smoke, lunging toward him. Aidan kicked one of them away through the mist while grabbing the second by the neck, sending volts of electricity through his arm to it, knocking the creature out.

"Fusion! This way!" Aqualad called out through the fog.

Using the voice as a guide, Aidan ran in the direction of the sound and saw his teammates running toward the entrance.

 _Wait, where's Robin?_

"Fusion! They're right behind you! Come on!" Kid Flash yelled.

At hearing this, Aidan momentarily glanced back and saw that the speedster was indeed correct. The creatures were leaping on all fours, snarling as they tried to catch up to them. Aidan picked up his pace, passing the entrance and turning down the hall to see Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Robin near an opening elevator. Looking behind him, the young hero saw the pack closing in.

 _Alright, let's see you chew on this._

Building up a large amount of energy between both his palms, Aidan shot both his arms forward toward the group. The rippling of electrical current surged from his hands toward the creatures, making contact with one before connecting to the next. Each of them suffered violent spasms as the volts of electricity coursed throughout their bodies, rendering them unconscious.

 _Fire would spread and plasma blasts would probably kill them. Better to keep using electricity for now._

"Fusion let's go!" Robin beckoned from the elevator.

Wasting no more time, Aidan ran toward the heros and entered the elevator just as Robin closed it. Looking up toward the number counter atop the elevator doors, the young man noticed that the numbers were increasing.

"We're headed down?" Aqualad questioned.

"Dude! Out is up" Kid Flash informed Robin, pointing toward the ceiling.

"Excuse me, Project Kr it's down on sublevel fifty two." Robin explained.

"This is out of control." Aqualad stated, rubbing the back of his head while moving to another side of the elevator. "Perhaps… Perhaps we should contact the League." He suggested, obviously agitated.

Before anyone could respond however, a ding resounded from the overhead speakers, signalling that they had reached sublevel 52. Taking up fighting positions in front of the doors, they prepared themselves for confrontation. When the doors opened, the four were meet with quite a sight. Unlike sublevel 26, the floor, ceiling, and walls of sublevel 52 were organic. Red, flesh like mass lined the walls, pieces of machinery and crates were scattered about, the whole scene resembled something from a Sci-Fi horror film.

 _Okay, officially creeped out now._

Robin ran ahead first, scouting out the area.

"We are already here." Kid Flash said to Aqualad, before going after him.

The Atlantean only sighed exasperatedly in response, then followed his friends with Aidan right behind him.

"Which way?" Aqualad asked, taking cover behind some crates with the others.

"Yeah. Bizarre looking hallway one or bizarre looking hallway two?" Robin stated, gesturing to both.

"Hold!" A mysterious voice ordered from bizarre hallway one.

Standing in the middle of the corridor was a humanoid Genomorph with pointy ears and two horns atop its head. It was wearing white fatigues and had no nose, it's sanguine eyes staring blankly at Aidan and the others. The creature extended its arm outward as its horns and eyes glowed a bright red. Two canisters were lifted in front of it and as it tilted its hand forward, were flung toward Aidan and the group. Aqualad and Aidan narrowly dodged the cylinders, the following explosion however knocked them both toward the ground. Getting back up quickly, the group sprinted down bizarre looking hallway two, trying to evade the telekinetic Genomorph.

Kid Flash turned down the hall first, as soon as he did Aidan heard a scream come from around the corner. When he caught up, he saw a scientist on the ground and Kid trying to block the door marked Project Kr with a canister.

"Hurry!" He yelled, before jumping through the gap.

Robin, Aidan, and Aqualad followed suit, with the latter sealing the door by kicking the canister outward.

"I disabled the door, we're safe." Robin stated, closing his holographic display.

"We're trapped." Aqualad replied, crossing his arms.

"Better in here than out there." Aidan reasoned.

"Uh guys. You'll wanna see this." Kid Flash informed the group, pressing a button on a nearby terminal.

Suddenly, light began to illuminate the dark room, coming from a pod in the center. Moving behind his comrades to get a better look, Aidan's eyes widened in surprise at what he saw. Inside the pod was a younger version of Superman, probably no older than Aidan himself. He was wearing a pure white suit with Superman's insignia in red on his chest. Inside the pod were three tiny Genomorphs above his head, the frog looking ones.

"Wooh." Robin uttered.

Kid Flash walked around the terminal toward the front of the pod, and noticed the Kr on the front of the glass.

"Big K little r, the atomic symbol for Krypton. Clone?" Kid questioned, glancing back toward his friends.

"Robin. Hack!" Aqualad ordered, looking toward the terminal.

"Right. Right."

Robin plugged his glove into the station and began bypassing the security, searching for the files.

"Weapon designation Superboy. A clone force grown in… Sixteen weeks! From DNA acquired from Superman." Robin explained with surprise.

"Stolen from Superman." Aqualad remarked.

"No way the big guy knows about this." Kid Flash speculated.

"The question is, how did they manage to get it?" Aidan wondered.

"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7." Robin broke in.

"And these... Creatures?" Aqualad asked, pointing his fingers to the three creatures on the screen.

"Genomorph gnomes," Robin began, his eyes scanning the display, "Telepathic, force feeding him an education."

"And we can guess what else. They're making a slave out of-well, Superman's son." Kid Flash surmised.

"Now we contact the League." Aqualad urged, pressing the A on his belt.

All at once the group of sidekicks tried to contact their respective mentors, only to get static in response.

"No signal." Robin reasoned.

"We're in too deep. Literally." Kid agreed, glancing at the pod containing Superboy. "This is wrong."

"We can't leave him like this." Robin affirmed, looking toward Aqualad.

"Set him free." Aqualad instructed, after a few moments of consideration.

"Hold on, are you sure about this?" Aidan interjected before Robin could do anything. "I agree with you guys that we shouldn't leave him, but is freeing him really the best idea? For all we know he could already be a slave under their control."

"He's right, but what else can we do?" Kid asked, looking for an alternative.

Aidan cupped his chin, pondering for a solution.

 _So far everything here has been hostile toward us. Guardian seemed confused when Kid told him about the weapons, but then he attacked us. It must have been the Genomorph gnome using its telepathy. But if that's the case…_

Aidan turned his head toward the pod, focusing on the three little creatures whose horns were… glowing…

 _Oh no…_

Before Aidan could say a word Superboy broke through the glass of his capsule, charging toward Aqualad. The clone tackled him, sending the pair across the room before he began pummeling the Atlantean's face into the ground. Aidan rushed toward the two, grabbing Superboy's left arm to stop his attack with Kid holding the other, and Robin covering his eyes with his gloves.

"Hang on Supey!" Kid yelled, struggling with his grip.

"We're on your side!" Robin exclaimed, just before the Kryptonian knocked Kid Flash across the room with a single punch.

Aidan heard the sound of glass breaking and Kid grunting in pain before he too was sent flying. The strength and force behind the blow was more than enough to go through his armor, the impact against the wall knocking him out for a few seconds. Wearily the teen pushed himself off the floor, still reeling from the hit.

 _Ah… My head…_

Looking up, Aidan saw Superboy crushing Robin into the ground with his foot, flattening the teen's ribcage. Standing up completely, Aidan grit his teeth in pain, trying to ignore the aching feeling throughout his torso.

 _Have to… Help… Robin…_

The young man began charging a blast between both his hands, hoping to knock the clone down in one shot. Before Aidan could fire however, he saw Aqualad soaring across the room with a large hammer made of water.

"Enough!" He shouted, slamming his weapon into the clone's face.

The weight behind the attack sent Superboy crashing into what was left of his pod, smashing the leftover metal and glass. Aqualad dashed to Robin's aid, only to have his teammate collapse as he tried to help him up. Superboy on the other hand,recovered quickly from the strike, striding toward Aqualad.

"We are trying to help you!" The Atlantean declared with his arm extended outward, trying to talk sense to the clone.

Aidan wasn't going to take the risk. Quickly building up another charge of energy, he released a concentrated stream of plasma from his palms toward Superboy. The blast propelled the clone into the opposite wall, vaporizing parts of his solar suit as he screamed in pain. Not wanting to give Superboy a chance to recuperate, Aidan delivered another steady surge of plasma, keeping the beam continuous until he saw him lose consciousness.

"Sorry… But you gave me no choice." Aidan panted out, plodding toward Aqualad.

"Are you alright?" Aqualad asked, looking at how the teen was holding his torso.

"Just a scratch…" Aidan joked, clenching his mouth with each step.

 _Ribs are definitely cracked, or possibly broken._

"We should… Help the o-" In the blink of an eye, Aidan was whisked off the ground, a fist closing slowly around his neck.

Looking down, he saw Superboy lifting him with one hand whilst choking the life out of him. The clone's eyebrows were knitted in anger, his teeth grinding together as he applied more and more pressure. The teen gasped for breath, his vision blurring as oxygen was cut off from his body. In one last desperate attempt, Aidan latched both his hands on Superboy's arms, sending hundreds of volts of electricity through them. The Kryptonian bellowed in pain, and released his grip by throwing Aidan across the room. The young man's eyes went wide as he collided with the wall, his world fading to black.

* * *

 **A/N: And... Cliffhanger. Yeah... I know, nobody likes them but it's what happened in the series, so be prepared for more. Once again I want to thank Shepardnick for his help in the creation and editing of this chapter, I really appreciate it. Thank you all for reading and bearing with my erratic upload times, I hope you enjoyed. Remember, comments and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated, and I'm willing to respond to any PM messages sent to me. Hope you stick around and have a good night! (or morning, it was night when I finished this.)**


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